Glass feeder



Feb. 22, 1927.

L. D. SOUBIER cuss FEEDER Filed March 5. 1924 INVENTOR Patented Feb. 22,1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT 1,618,313 OFFICE.

LEONARD n. soumnn, OF'TOLEIDO; OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE Owens no'rzrnr': COMPANY,

F TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION or OHIO.

GLASS FEEDER.

My invention relates to glass feeders of the type in which the molten glass is discharged through an outlet opening in the bottom of a container, the discharge being controlled by a regulating implement in the form of a plunger reciprocating in the-glass over the outlet. In feeders of this type, the plunger is sometimes given a rotative movement about its own axis in addition to its reciprocatingmovements. This rotation of the plunger is for the purpose of producing homogeneity and uniform temperature of the glass and preventing chilling or stagnation of the glass in front of the plunger, to thereby prevent cold streaks or unevenness of temperature in the issuing glass. I

An object of the present invention is to provide means for periodically varying the speed of rotation of the regulator in synchronism with its Vertical. movements. The speed of rotation of the regulator maybe either acceleratedor decreased at any ,desired period during its cycle of movements, depending upon the results desired. For

erated during the upward movement of the regulator, thereby increasing the efiectiveness of the regulator in retracting the glass at the outlet or retarding the fiow. Under some working conditions, it may beidesirable to reduce the speed of rotation during the upward movement of the regulator and thereby reduce the effectiveness of the upward pull thereof on the glass. It is also sometimes desirable toreduce or stop the rotation of the regulator durin its downward movement, thereby reducing or eliminating'the tendency to impart a spiral movement to the issuing charge of glass. An Object of the present invention is to provide means for eifecting such and other variations in the rotativ'e movements of the regulator as may be desired.

Other objects of the invention will appear '1 hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of a feeder constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is'a sectional detail on a larger scale showing means for governing the speed of rotation of the regulator. i The feeder comprisesa container 10 for example, the speed of rotation may be a'ccel--' as forexample, a continuously rotating cam P 13 on a drive shaft 14. The cam operates through a lever 15 fulcrumed at 16 on a. bracket 17. A sleeve 18 mounted on the stem 19 ofv the plunger is provided with spiral grooves 21 in its outer surface, A gear 22 rotatively mounted on the sleeve 18 r is provided with pins or lugs 23 which extend into the grooves 21. The hub of the gear 22 has a bearing in a yoke 24: mounted on standards 25 ext ending upward from the supporting frame of, the boot. The gear 22 is driven from the shaft 14 through a train of gearing comprising pinion 26, bevel gears 27, 28 and a s rocket chain 29. The connection between he lever 15 and the stem ,19 comprises a pair; of links 30 connecting said lever witha bearing ring 31 surrounding the stem 19. Bearing balls are inter posed between tliempper shouldered end 32- of the ste1n.19 andlthe ring 31.

The operation is, as follows: The cam 13 driven by the continuously rotating drive shaftl operates through the lever 15 to periodically reciprocate the regulating plunger. As the plunger moves downward, it exerts anexpelling force on the issuing glass and controls the shape of the glass in a well known manner. Shears 33 sever the suspendedieh'arge of glass when .the plunger is in its-",lowered position. moves up 'ard, it exerts an upward pull on the stub 0 glass remaining after the shears. operate. EThe gear 22 is rotated continuously at a constant speed owing to its driving connection with the shaft 1 1. This rotation of the gear is imparted to the regulating As the plug plunger by means of the driving pins 23 so i that the plunger rotates at the same angular s'peed as the gear 22 when the plunger is n t moving'up or down.

As the plunger 2 mo es downward, the spiral cam grooves 21 I im art a rotative movement to the plunger relative to the gear 22. This rotative movenaent of the plunger due to the cam grooves is either added to or subtracted from that of the gear 22. depending'on the direction and pitch of the grooves, thespeed of the molten glass, here shown as a furnace boot or gear and the speed with which th'e'plunger' 1 1 lid moves vertically. For example, the spirals 21 may extend in a direcliou to rotate the plunger relatively to the gear as the plunger descends, in the direction opposite to the rotation cl tbcgear. As a result, the rotative movement of the plunger is decreased or may he reduced to zero so that there is no rotation of the plunger as it moves downward. By suliiciently reducing the pitch of the spirals, the plunger may be made to rotate in the reverse direction from that of the gear. If the cam '13 is shaped to cause the plunger to move at different speeds during dillcrent periods of its downward niowzment the speed of rotation will be correspondingly varied. Also, by making the pitch of the spirals greater at one oint than another, the spced'o'i rotation may lliGWlSfl be varied.

Assuming the direction of the spirals 21 to be such that the speed of rotation of the plunger is reduced during its downward movement, there will evidently be a corre sponding increase in the s ecd of rotation as the plunger moves upwar In this manner, the rctractive action or upward pull of the plunger on the glass at the outlet is materially increased, giving a more effective control of the glass. Also, by reducing the retative movement of the plunger as it descends, the tendency to impart a spiral or twisting movement to the issuing glass is reduced or overcome. By reversing the dircction of rotation of the drive shaft 14, the speed oi rotation the plunger during its downward movement may he increased and the speed of rotation during the upward movement decreased, or vice versa.

Modifications may he resorted to within the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

l. In an apparatus for delivering charges of molten glass, the combination of a contrainer having an outlet through which the glass issues, a regulating device within the glass adjacent the outlet, means to periodically more said device toward and from the outlet for causlng an expelling and retarding action on the glass, means to rotate sald device, and means to periodically vary the speed of rotation of said device.

2. in an apparatus for delivering charges oli molten glass, the combination of a container having an outlet through which the glass issues. a regulating device within the glass adjacent the outlet, means to periodically move said device toward and from the outlet l'or causing an expelling" and retardiuej :uliou on the glass. means to rotate said device. and means to automatically ell'ccl a varialiou in the speed of rotation proportional lo the speed of movement ol said device toward or from the outlet.

3. The combination ol a container for molten glass having an outlet through which the glass issues, a regulating plunger, means miaala to periodically move it toward and from the outlet, means for rotating the plunger, and means for periodically varying the speed of relation in synchronism with movements of the plunger toward and from thcoutlet.

l. The combination of a container for molten glass having an outlet through which the glass issues. a regulating device, means to periodically move it toward and from the outlet, means for continuously rotating the in'iplemcnt, and automatic mcans to increase the speed of rotation as the implement moves in one direction and to decrease the speed when it moves in the opposite direction.

The combination of a container for molten glass having an outlet through which the glass issues, a regulating plunger, means to periodically move it toward and from the outlet, means for continuously rotating the plunger, and automatic means for increasing the speed of rotation during each movement of the plunger in one direction.

6. The combination of a container for molten glass having an outlet through which the glass issues, a regulating implement, means to periodically move it toward and from the outlet, means for continuously rolating the implement, and automatic means for increasing the speed of rotation during the movement of the implement away from the outlet.

7. The combination of a container for molten glass having an outlet through which the glass issues, a regulating implement means to periodically move it toward and from the'outlet, means for continuously rotating the implement, and automatic means for increasing the speed of rotation during the movement of the implement away from the outlet and for decreasing the speed of rotation while the implement is moving toward the outlet.

8. The combination of a container for molten glass having an outlet through which the glass issues, a regulating plunger, means to periodically move it toward and from the outlet, means for rotating the plunger comprising a continuously rotating gear, and operating connections between the plunger and gear for rotating the plunger at the same angular speed as the gear while the plunger is not reciprocating and for changing the speed olt' rotation of the plunger relatively to that of the gear while the plunger is moving toward or from the outlet.

9. The combination of a container for molten glass having an outlet through which the glass issues, a regulating plunger, means to periodically move it t-(nvard and from the outlet, a continuously rotating gear surrounding the plunger and having a connection with the plunger for rotating the latter, means to hold the gear against reciprocating movementwith the plunger, and a spiral emma cam 'operativqby the reciprocating movemeni: of the plunger to vary thaspeefi of mmtion of the plunger relative to that of the; gear. I

10. In a giass feeder, the combination of a, receptacle for molixan glafi having an outlet ogvening in the bottom thereof, a verticai panger pmjecting into the glass oven the outlet means for periodically recipmcating the piunger vertically, a tubular member mounted on the stem of the Iung er, a non- I reciprocating gear surroun mg said mem- LEQNARD n SOUBIER. 

